Tabitha assumed it was last nights events that had gotten him the sack and she did feel somewhat responsible for it. "Well, at least you have the freedom now to pursue a musical career, if that's what you wanted?" Tied to the park? They weren't tied to it really, they just enjoyed spending time in it though she could see where he got that assumption from. They'd met twice so far and on both occasions they were in the park. "We came out to buy the morning paper and see what had been made of last nights events. But we do visit the park quite a lot, we live near by and.." She looked to Bastian, the giant hound sat beside her. "We are normal in the park, just a woman walking her dog." She looked up to Todd. "He and I can converse no matter what 'outfit' he is wearing, would you like to hear him? At the minute he can understand you and it seems a bit rude that you cannot hear him."

He chuckled, glad that he had run into these two after all. It was something he had been really hesitant about. Afterall, he had been the one to hold the camera. If he had just squeezed into the crowd a little more and gotten footage of what had really happened yesterday.

Looking down at Bastian, he said, "Sure. No offense was taken at all." Thoughtful was what these two were. Better than some of the unruly gangs he had run across in the inner city. Clare would have been safe here with them after all. It was nice to know there was still decent people left in this world.

"I wouldn't speak too soon, you've not heard the way Bastian speaks." The female chuckled, she adored Bastian she truly did and over the years, she'd gotten used to the things he said and the way he said them. Or rather thought them.

"You were here last night so I'm sure you know what my 'gift' is, unlike your reporter friend you don't need to play mind games to keep me out. If you just imagine a door in front of the thoughts and memories you don't want me to see, I'll take the hint and stay away." Tabitha explained before locking eyes on the male and focusing, a few seconds later he would hear a soft buzzing in his head before it cleared.

"Okay, Bastian, say something."

".. woof.."

"Not exactly what I had in mind, but it works."

He was a bit startled to hear that Clare played mind games. What kind of mind games? He didn't both to pursue the question and listened somewhat eagerly for Bastian's "voice." What he heard made him laugh. Mentally that is. A grin covered his face. This was awesome, finding someone with such a sense of humor. Relief flooded through him again and mentally he thought, "Meow"

*****

Clare walked into the grocery store and pulled a shopping cart out of the line of carts. Walking down the vegetable aisles, she picked out vegetables for stirfry. Then she moved on to the canned goods section. A voiced boomed out behind her, drawing the attention of other customers. "Here is someone who knows how to make a stand. You are the reporter on the news this morning." A big burly man walked up to her and grabbed her hand. Shaking it vigorously, he turned and said to a friend of his, "We need more people like her." Letting go, he walked to the front of the store, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the mutants might think they can get away with stuff like they are. But they shouldn't be. If the politicians won't do anything about it, then we should. We the people are the ones who decide how our country is going to be. Are we going to let it become a mad house?" Clare shrank back at the anger in his voice, fear igniting when she saw others nodding at what he was saying.

"Ugh.. a comedian."

"Be nice, it isn't his fault you woke up on the wrong side of your basket." Tabitha frowned as she spoke and looked to Todd apologetically. "His bark is worse than his bite, don't mind him. He's upset about the headlines, he'll get over it eventually."

"No, I won't. There is no getting over something like this. Those headlines will lead to more attacks on us and not all of us are going to stand idly by and take it."

Tabitha knew he was right, it was only a matter of time before things escalated and with all those faces caught on camera, those recognized would be targeted first."You're right, of course, but it can wait until tonight's meeting." The two looked at one another for a moment, before Bastian snorted and looked away.

With a sigh, she looked back to Todd."So where is our favorite reporter today?"

He shrugged and thought back, fingers idly strumming the guitar strings, "I last saw her at the news station yesterday. I suppose they will have her writing news articles or driving around looking for a story. I worry for her though. She is sorta a friend so, I don't want her getting caught in these crossfires. She has nothing against mutants that I can tell. She throws herself into books when there is nothing else to do." Turning he looked out across the park, children playing innocently, "She is too innocent despite her role in life. But she is smart. Sometimes she does things that make a person wonder if she might have a better grasp on events than we do."

*****

A man stood up against the burly complainer. "That is what we said about French before the American Revolution. That is what we said about the Chinese when building the railroads. That is what we said about the Irish during the Great Depression. That is what we said about the Germans during WWI and WWII. That is what we said about the Mexicans. Yet they all integrated and became a part of society. We get along with them all. They make life better. Now you say that about mutants... kids, babies, women, men like you and me, who were born that way. Don't forget Hitler idealized blonde hair and blue eyes. Is it your fault you are flawed with brown hair and brown eyes?"

Another person added an amen to that.

The burly man said, "Bah, you don't know a threat when it had a knife at your throat. Only when you are bleeding to death will you see the truth." He turned to leave, the look in his eyes dangerous.

Clare gulped and wanted to hide. A friendly hand on her shoulder made her jump slightly. A woman gave her a small smile. "Don't let them get to you. Build a tough skin, listen and learn, and live as best as you can." She nodded and made for the check out counter.

"From what I saw last night, she isn't the sort to get caught in crossfire, she throws herself straight into it. Though I suppose given her career choice, that is perhaps the best way to be." Tabitha replied with a brief smile. It was times like this that she often wondered how different her own life would have been if she'd chosen a career rather than decided to fight for mutant rights. No.. she couldn't imagine herself sitting at a desk or standing behind a counter.

"Nobody is innocent these days." Bastian rose from his resting place and stretched his long body. "I'm hungry, you promised me something to eat after we picked up the paper." The male looked up to his friend.

"Oh, yes, sorry." Tabitha looked to Mike. "Would you like to join us?"

He smiled gratefully at her, "I would be most grateful for the company." In truth, he was growing lonely. More and more of those he had hung out with him were making themselves scarce. Either because he was a mutant and they were not or worse, they didn't like that he didn't hide his abilities. "It means a lot that you don't mind me tagging along." It was an after thought. Still, he wanted to express his thanks. There was enough lack of communication in the world already as it was.

*****

Clare stepped outside with her bags of groceries. Seeing a homeless man sitting against the store wall by the corner, she kept an eye on him while she put her groceries into her car. Keeping out some fruit and a deli sandwich, she looked around the van's backseat for something trivial. A child's play plastic necklace caught her eye. Garage sales were the source of such odd trinkets. She picked it up and put it in a small paper bag with the fruit and sandwich. Walking casually over to him, she handed him the bag quietly, squeezed his shoulder, and went back to her van. Climbing inside, she started up and drove away.

Back at the store, the homeless man opened the bag and eyes widened in surprise. Not at the food. That he could smell. But at the expensive silver sterling necklace that lay inside. It was enough to take care of him for a few months if he wished to clean up, buy some clothes, and rent a small apartment.

"Of course we don't mind having you with us. We're always more than happy to meet new people, especially when they happen to be just like us." Meeting new mutants was always an interesting experience, as of yet no two mutants she knew had the same powers, some were similar but not quite the same. "Bastian you will need to change into something more appropriate if we're going to eat."

Bastian wasn't too fond of his 'human' form, he found that people considered him with less suspicion when he was dressed as mans best friend. But in this instance, he supposed Tabitha was right, very few places let dogs inside and fewer still actually fed dogs. The lurcher lifted himself onto his hind legs and as he rose to full height, his body changed from that of the shaggy dog, to that of the man that had scared the thugs off last night. "Happy?"

"Always." Tabitha smiled and turned on her heel, starting towards the town on the other side of the park.

Driving down the street, Clare saw a commotion outside of the library. Pulling over, she watched for a moment until she got an idea of what was going on. Pulling out her phone, she quickly sent a text message. Then she pulled down the mirror and began double-checking her hair and makeup. In the back of the van was a dressy jacket that she easily pulled on over her blouse. Now she looked professional.

In the glove box was her reporters badge. She clipped that onto her jacket. Then she stepped out of the driver's side and walked around to where the side door was. Opening it, she began pulling out the video equipment and getting it prepped. It appeared there was an anti-mutant group trying to get mutants to not be able to use the public library anymore.

*****

Mike heard the beep of his phone and pulled it out. Opening the text message, he read, "Anti-mutant group at library. Get over here camera man." Groaning, he mentally showed Tabitha the text message as well as his concerned feelings. Verbally he explained, "She is going to get hurt one of these days. It doesn't matter which side of the fence she may or may not be on. She is going to get hurt." Rubbing a hand over his face, he turned and looked towards his bike. "I gotta run. Can't leave her alone with a mob forming."

Tabitha saw the text message and could only sigh in responce, she had hoped this sort of thing wouldn't happen after last night, but the way the news had been twisted.. "Isn't that the risk all reporters make? Travelling the world to some of the most dangerous places to give us up to date news?" But Claire was not her main concern at that moment, if there was an anti-mutant group forming it wouldn't be long until a crowd gathered and the mutants trying to get in, or even out, of the library would be put at risk.

"Looks like we best head over too, Bastian can you go on ahead?" Tabitha asked and her friend was only too happy to oblige. The lurcher transformed into a pigeon and took off towards the library. Within minutes he'd arrived and perched on a ledge atop the library with other unsuspecting pigeon, watching the scene unfold below them.

There were a small group of mutants stood at the bottom of the steps leading into the library, their arms full of books they had intended on returning but found themselves unable to do so. Among those trying to return books was, unfortunately, the teenage boy beaten the night before. Just couldn't catch a break, could he?

Having the camera prepped and ready to go, Clare picked up the microphone that was cordless and looked at it. The mood wasn't very good for interviews at the moment. The likelihood and being able to do interviews was rather slim. This group was just not good at it. Looking over at them, her eyes narrowed. The world needed to see this though. See that non-mutants were less than kind. Deciding not to interfere, she turned and looked at what she could use instead.

Opening a compartment, Clare pulled out a headset. Fitting it under her brown hair and carefully setting it so that it captured large area sounds, she sent a test message to the office. A voice came on the line, "Clare, whatever you are using the mic for, be careful. Doesn't sound good where you are at." She grunted and nodded. Hooking up another piece inside her jacket, she used a laptop in the van to secretly connect wirelessly and record. She would have her own record of what happened here. Grabbing the smaller and more portable camera, she turned and headed for the crowd.

It wasn't pretty. Insults flew, mostly one direction. Deciding to be a bit biased. She focused on the angriest humans and the most scared, youngest, and most innocent of mutants. The contrast was severe. Clare was careful to not include those who looked unsure of what they were supposed to be doing. Clean cut boundaries were needed here. Letting the microphone capture everything. Letting the camera carefully show the inhumane hatred against the mutants. She felt a bit smug.

Some of those there though noticed her camera and were less than pleased. She caught on film them advancing towards her, yelling at her to turn off her camera. She yelled back, "Why? The mutants never minded me filming them. What are you so afraid of? Don't you want the world to know the truth? Isn't this activity glorious enough to be on the news?"

One of them sneered, "We aren't fools. This is a mob. Besides, sometimes things need doing that polite society wants but they don't want to be aware of it. Now shut it down."

Lifting her chin, she said clearly, "No." Even as she said it though, she felt her stomach curdle. A small piece of fear started to grow.

Hearing a motorcycle pulled up nearby, she felt a small measure of relief. Mike was nearby and would hopefully get his butt over soon. If nothing else, he would at least make sure they didn't lay a hand on her.

But it wasn't soon enough. Another of the three grabbed her camera, failing to notice the head piece. As he smashed it to the ground, it was recorded. Believing it now safe to talk, he leaned in close to her face and hissed, "I don't get to rough up others much anymore. Parole and all. You stay out of this. Big money is backing this..." reaching up to fiercely clutch her chin, he added, "and not even the City Commissioner wants this stopped." She froze.

It was sitting and watching this unruly mob that made him proud to be a mutant, at least when they protested they did so peacefully and nobody got hurt. Even from where he was sat watching, he could clearly hear the shouting, the swearing and the threats being made against the young mutants. It was the younger generations that he felt sorry for, they were living in a day and age where it was increasingly difficult to hide what they were, once they'd been found out that was it. The Internet was one of the worlds greatest inventions and yet one of the worst in his eyes.

Then he noticed that reporter from the night before getting herself ready by her van. Watching curiously, he observed her hide the headset and then retrieve a smaller came from inside the vehicle. Was she really going to walk into this mob on her own? Last night she was protected but today? These non-mutants were nothing but a group of narrow minded thugs and after only a few minutes, they began to show their true colors towards her. He wasn't going to sit around and watch as men twice her size started to bully her, what sort of a man would that make him?

Swooping off the ledge and disappearing behind the building, everyone was busy around the front to notice him changing. A foot above ground level, Bastian changed from the small pigeon to the considerably larger lurcher. On large paws he padded around the building to where the mob was gathered and used his size to force his way through the crowd and towards Claire. By the time he arrived the man had her by the chin and hissing words in her face. A pleasant sight his face must have been.

While he could have transformed into a more intimidating animal, a wild one perhaps? He had always wanted to change into a tiger and run amock amongst mobs like this, but Tabitha had always stopped him. Perhaps she was right. So, using his current form to his advantage, Bastian acted like a loyal dog trying to protect it's owner. Barking loudly to get the mans attention, he wrinked his muzzle to bare his teeth and began to snarl loudly.

The guy holding her chin turned at looked down at the dog with a raised eyebrow. Angrily, he said, "You two gonna let this nuisance ruin a good time for me?" They grinned and moved to block the dog's path between him and Clare, believing their leather outfits protected them.

He turned back Clare, still unaware of it being recorded, "You gonna die tonight. I don't care what it takes. You will get what is coming to you. And I will have the pleasure of making it look like a mutant attack." Clare stared at him wide-eyed, then grinned.

He responded with blow to her stomach. She doubled over. Normally she would have grit her teeth in defiance but there was a recording of this. So she let out a small cry. Part of her hated showing that she, a reporter, could be hurt. But she knew that this might be the only way to show what villains they were.

Mike jumped off his bicycle and ran for the van. Clare wasn't there. He looked inside and saw the camera equipment ready for him. Turning, he surveyed the crowd, eyes resting on Clare with three hoodlums and a dog. Turning the camera from the van and flipping it on, he let it start recording. It caught on tape her being punched. Grabbing his guitar by the neck and swinging it around in front of him, Mike rested his hands in place. Then he strummed.

Unlike at the part, where the sounds were completely normal for a guitar not hooked up to a vamp or other devices, this time it rolled with power. The first notes were meant for one purpose. Make everyone freeze. That was what he wanted the most. Paralyzing everyone in place that stood in anyway in front of him, he used the notes to bring them to a standstill.

Then he switched over, pushing feelings of how wrong this anger was. It wasn't enough to change minds, but having such feelings did help keep any more violence from occurring. Then he shifted again, sounding out gentler notes that brought images of home to mind. He instilled in those presence a desire simply to go home. Peacefully. There was no energy left for anger or drama. When he finally stopped and let them go from his grip, the bystanders who might have been pulled into the mob began walking away. Only the ring leaders stayed, staring in disbelief.

Bastian stared up at the men now blocking his way and while he continued to snarl, he also lowered his body onto his front paws and looked as though he was getting ready to pounce. Leather outfits or not, he wasn't a real dog and knew exactly where he wanted to strike. Though he couldn't see what was happening behind those two lugs, he did hear Clare cry out in pain and as he was about to pounce on the smaller of the two men, but something happened that froze him in place.

Music? It took him a few seconds to figure it out and with his hearing as acute as a dogs at that moment, he was unable to break free from the spell Mike had put them all under. It didn't rid the shapeshifter of his anger, it wasn't mindless and pointless anger afterall, it was aimed at the man that had punched a woman. Images of home began to wash through his mind and it was only through Tabitha's intervention that those images were blocked out once more.

Tabitha arrived not long after Mike, though she stayed back and observed from a distance. The man seemed to know what he was doing and handled the crowd with ease. Many of those that had joined the crowd eventually dispersed, leaving only the three men and the group of mutants that seemed more at ease now the crowds had gone. Seeing that Bastian was trying to get to Clare, Tabitha strolled over to the group of mutants to see if they were okay.

While the ring leaders were distracted, staring at Mike with a look of disbolief, Bastian relaxed his stance and walked around the men, putting himself between them and the reporter. They didn't seem to have reacted to the music in the same way as the others and they weren't going to leave so easily, so it looked like he would be able to try out another outfit afterall. All he needed to do was scare they away so what should he wear? It didn't take him long to figure it out and the lurcher slowly rose to stand on his hind legs, in doing so his form shifted from the scruffy dog to a shaggy brown bear. Standing on his hind legs like this he was easily taller than the three men and began to growl at them, this time hoping they would take him seriously.

Clare felt shock when the snarling dog came to her defense. But it was compounded by alarm when it changed into a bear. A rational part of her whispered that it was a mutant. That no harm would come to her now. But another part screamed to run from the bear. The end result was Clare's face going white and her stumbling back a pace before her weak legs gave out under her. Going into a kneeling position and then a sitting position, she stared up at it open mouthed. You don't generally see bears in town.

Mike quietly slung his guitar back onto his back. Bastian would not let them touch Clare again. A part of him wanted to pound some of his anger into the strings of his instrument and tear their limbs from their bodies. But he wasn't an animal. He began quietly picking up the camera equipment and packing it away. Noticing the recording Clare had started, Mike reached over to stop it and save it. Then he powered down the electronics and stowed them away before anyone up to mischief came over to cause trouble. Clare was getting evidence. He didn't know why, for who, or for what but he could see how it might be in opposition to her boss' "evidence."

Clare watched as if in a dream as the rough men cringed and backed away. They were trying to look tough, but it wasn't coming out very good. As they edged back, and noticed that they were more than outnumbered, they started a faster pace away. But the leader looked at Clare right in the eye. She felt a shudder course through her and clenched her fists on the sides of her thighs to suppress it. Fear had no place in her life. How dare she feel any.

When the men started moving away at a pace Bastian deemed suitable, he sent one final snarl after them before deciding that was enough for now. They were retreating afterall, there was little to gain from taking any other action against them at the minute. The large grizzly slowly began to lower himself into a sitting position and before his behind touched the ground, the bear shrank and shifted back into the more familiar and manageable lurcher form.

Tabitha was pleased to see things ended without shedding any blood. The mutants at the center of the whole thing had backed away, though they were all still clutching library books and looked utterly terrified at what had just happened. Clare would be fine, she had Bastian and Mike to check on her but these mutants were under her care and came first. Walking over to the group, she spoke softly to them, assuring them they were safe and calming them down as best she could.

Bastian stood and turned to face Clare, there didn't seem to be any physical damage but the lack of color in her face did suggest shock. At the men or at his sudden change of form? Settling back down into a sitting position, he observed her for a moment, gave her chance to regain herself. It was in doing this that he remembered Tabitha opened Clare's mind last night to speak with her, chances are it was still open and with his friend still in the vicinity.. it was worth a shot.

"Are you alright?" The lurcher asked, the words would hopefully reach her mind as they had Mikes.

It was a bit unnerving to hear a voice that was not her own in her head. Again. Instantly, she mentally recoiled and focused with all her strength on a good game of cards. This one called Red Devil, a fun variation between speed and solitaire. It was an impulse and completely instinct move on her part. It took her a moment to realize she was even doing that. Not wanting to be rude to her rescuer, Clare forced herself to calm down and think back a reply.

"I'm alright. Huh... thank you for asking?" The giving a sheepish grin, she tried again, "Thank you for showing up. It wasn't what I was expecting to happen today. I assumed that because things were so peaceful yesterday that today would be just as smooth." The leader's threat came to the front of her memories, but it was not the threat against her that she paid close attention to. It was who was evidently behind all this. Had the City Commissioner hired these thugs to cause problems with mutants? Resisting an impulse to pet the lurcher, Clare slowly stood up and spoke, "But it appears that someone with influence wanted it to get beyond peaceful."

Mike finished up with the van. Shutting and locking the door, he turned and walked over to Clare. He didn't like how white her face was, but it was clear she was in control of herself. No tears or hysterics one would expect from someone else. Glancing at Bastian, he said, "Hey thanks Bastian for coming." He reached over and rubbed the back of Clare's neck and glanced over at Tabitha to see her helping the mutant students who were huddled on the library steps, still clutching their books. "This is the start of something isn't it?" Tabitha was quite a person, compassionately helping those around her even if they were strangers. Few like that in this world anymore.